Railway-crossing.



J. A. STRALEY.

RAILWAY CROSSING.

APPLICATION FILED APBHZ, 1910.

Patented Aug.23, 1910.

INVENTOR.

WITNESSES F flwm Tn: Nonms PETERS co, WASHINGTGN, n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. STRALEY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO OTTO BOGART,OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

RAILWAY-CROSSING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

Application filed April 2, 1910. Serial N0. 552,972.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. STRALEY, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Railway-Crossing; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichitappertains to make and use the same, ref erence being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to railway crossings, and has for its object theprovision of simple and improved means for shifting the rail sections atthe crossing of two lines to alternately and selectively open or closeone line and simultaneously close or open the other line, which means iseasy and efficient in its operation, inexpensive in its construction andmaintenance, and composed of a minimum number of parts.

The invention is fully described in the following specification, and apreferred embodiment of the same illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which,

Figure l is a plan of a crossing embodying the features of my invention.Fig. 2 is a sect-ion of the same on the line 02 w in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is asection on the line 1 y in Fig. 1, and Fig. at is a perspective view ofone of the parts of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the fixed tracks or railsrunning in one direction, and 2 the fixed tracks or rails of thecrossing line, all of which at and adjacent the point of crossing aremounted upon a suitable base frame 3, shown in the present instance asbeing formed of I-beams. Each rail of a track is connected between therails of the other track by two movable rail sections at, 4, which aresupported by the frame 3 and, when in longitudinal alinement, adapted tofill the space between the rails of the crossing track.

Each rail section 4 is mounted adjacent its outer end for longitudinalsliding movements in a rail-chair or member 5, which is pivoted forhorizontal rotary movements upon the frame 3, and has flanges 6 adaptedto overlap the base flanges of the section to slidingly hold the sectionto the chair. In the present instance the rail-chairs are shown ashaving pivot-studs 6 working Within registering sockets in the frame 3(see Fig. 3) and as being rotatably held to the frame by fingers 7,which project from such frame and hook over the rounded edges of thechairs, as indicated.

The inner ends of each set of rail sections 4 are pivotally attached attheir other sides in any suitable manner to the opposite ends of a.cross-arm 8 of a bar or draft member 9, which projects inwardly betweenthe inner ends of the sections. The inner end of such bar is providedwith a laterally angled arm 10 having a longitudinally-extending slot 11therein which parallels the rails of the track with which it isassociated. The arms 10 of the opposing bars 9, which are adapted tooverlap each other, extend in opposite directions from their respectivebars and their slots 11 vertically register with the like slots in thearms 10 attached to the rail sections at of the other track.

J ournaled in a frame part 3 centrally of the several rail sections 4 isa short vertical shaft 12, which carries a cross-arm or bar 13 at itsupper end beneath the plane of the bars or draft-members 9. Studs ltproject upwardly from the ends of the cross-arm l3 and each works withinthe registering slots 11 of two of the bars 9, one of which projectsfrom a set of rail sections 4 of one track while the other projects fromthe set of sections of the other track toward which the arm 10 of thefirst bar projects, as shown. A nut 15 is shown as being threaded to theouter end of each stud lt to retain the asso ciated bars 9 in engagementtherewith.

Upon a turning of the cross-arm 13 in the proper direction, outwardlongitudinal movements are imparted to the bars 9 of two of the opposedsets of rail sections to move the sections of such sets into aliningpositions to close the associated track, and inward movements areimparted to the other bars 9 to move the opposed sets of sections 4: ofthe other track out of alining positions, as indi cated, and upon givingthe arm 13 a reverse quarter turn the above action is reversed. The bars9 are guided for true horizontal movements by fins 16 projectingdownwardly therefrom and working in longitudinal slots 17 provided inthe subjacent frame parts 3"-, which parallel such bars.

18 designates a horizontally-disposed lever, which is fulcrumed beneathone of the slotted frame parts 3 and is provided at one end with asegmental series of teeth 19, which mesh with a pinion 20 on the shaft12, and at its other end with a segmental series of teeth 21 in meshwith the teeth of a reciprocatory rack-bar 22. This rack-bar is mountedfor horizontal reciprocatory movements on the inner side of a portion ofthe frame 3 beneath one of the sets of rail sections at and has one endextended without the line of the other track and provided at such endwith a vertical slot 23 in which the wrist-pin 24: of a crank-arm 25works. The crank-arm 25 is carried at the end of a rockshaft 26, whichis journaled in a part of the frame 3 beneath the plane of the track andin a bearing part 3 secured to the frame An operating lever 27 iscarried by the shaft 26, and is secured in adjusted position by a pin 28passing through registering apertures in such lever and a plate 29 fixedto the bear ing part 3 30 designates stop flanges which are secured tothe frame part 3 in position to overlap the outer base flanges of therail sections 4 at their inner ends and to coact therewith to limit theoutward or closing movements of such sections, thus preventing theirinner ends from being thrown outwardly beyond a line in longitudinalalinement with the rail of the associated track.

The operation of my invention is as follows. Supposing the track to beset as indicated in the drawings with the rail sections 4: of the track2 closed to provide continuous rails for such track, such rail sectionsmay be thrown to open position and the rail sections of the other trackthrown to closed position with their respective rails by simply throwingthe operating lever 27 to the opposite side of the shaft 26 from thatshown in the drawings thus imparting substantially a half rotation tosuch shaft. As the shaft 26 is rotated in this manner the wrist-pin 2stcarried by the crank arm 25 of such shaft works within the slot 23 inthe end of the rack-bar 22 and eifects a longitudinal movement of suchbar to oscillate the lever 18 due to the outer tooth end of such levermeshing with such rack. Upon a rocking of this lever its inner pivotedend which is in mesh with the pinion 20 on the shaft 12 imparts aquarter rotation to such pinion and shaft to cause the studs l-Lt to bemoved a quarter of a revolution about such shaft and to work within theslots 11 in the inner connected ends of the respectively engaged bars 9to draw the outwardly projected bars 9 inwardly to break or open therail sections at of the track 2 and at the same time to force the otherset of opposed bars 9 outwardly to move the attached rail sections 4: toclose the track 1 for the passage of a train thereover. As the railsections t are moved to open the track such sections have slight inwardsliding movements in the rail chairs or members 5 to retract the outerends of the rail sections from the continuous rails to provide a spacefor the passage of the flange to the car wheel.

It is thus apparent that I have provided a simple and inexpensive formof crossing, the movable rail sections of which are positively moved toalternately and selectively open or close one line of the track andsimultaneously close or open the other line.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specificconstruction or arrangement of the parts except in so far as suchlimitations are specified in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is,

1. In a railway crossing, the combination with the two intersectingtracks, of sets of rail sections movable to connect or disconnect therails of the tracks, and means for swinging the inner ends of opposingsets of such sections inwardly or outwardly to respectively open orclose the respective tracks.

In a railway crossing, the combination with the fixed rails of twocrossing tracks, of a set of oscillatory rail sections associated with arail of each track and movable into or out of alinement wit-h such rail,the inner ends of such sections being capable of swing ing inwardly fromalining position and means attached to each of such sets of sections andoperative to simultaneously move the opposite sets of one track intoalinement and the opposite sets of the other track out of alinement.

3. A railway crossing, embodying rail sections at the point of junctureof the tracks, said rail sections being bodily movable in the samedirection in an oscillatory manner from their positions of alinement,and means for simultaneously moving said rail sections so that those ofthe other pair of tracks will be out of alinement.

4. A railway crossing, embodying sets of rail sections at the point ofuncture of the tracks, the rail sections of each set being oscillatinglymovable in the same direction to and from their positions of alinement,and means for simultaneously moving said rail sections so that those ofone pair of tracks will be in alinement while those of the other pair oftracks will be out of alinement.

5. A railway crossing, embodying rail sections at the point of junctureof the tracks, said rail sections being in pairs for each track rail andhaving their inner ends movable toward or away from a common point torespectively open or close the associated tracks, and means forsimultaneously moving the rail sections so that those of one pair oftracks will be in alinement while those of the other pair of tracks willbe out of alinement with their respective tracks.

6. A railway crossing, embodying rail sections at the points of junctureof the tracks, said rail sections being arranged in sets with thesections of each set connected at their inner ends and movable togetherand in the same direction toward or away from alining position, barsconnected to the inner ends of the sections of such sets, and meansoperative to move said bars to simultaneously swing the sections of onepair of tracks out of alinement and the sections of the other pair oftracks into alinement.

7. A railway crossing, embodying rail sections at the point of junctureof the tracks, said rail sections being arranged in sets of two for eachtrack and mounted for longitudinal reciprocatory and oscillatorymovements, the oscillatory movements of the sections of each set beingin the same direction, a bar attached to and extending inwardly from theinner ends of the sections of each set, and means operative tosimultaneously move the bars of opposing sets to place the sections ofsuch sets in alinement and the bars of the other two opposing sets toplace the sections of such sets out of alinement.

8. A railway crossing, embodying rail sections at the point of junctureof the tracks, such sections being arranged in sets of two to connectthe rails of each track and the sections of each set being capable ofreciprocatory and oscillatory movements, the oscillatory movements beingin the same direction, bars attached to the inner ends of the sectionsof each set and projecting inwardly therefrom, the inner ends of suchbars being slotted, and means cooperating with the slotted ends of suchbars and operative to simultaneously move the rail sections so thatthose of one pair of tracks will be in alinement while those of theother pair of tracks will be out of alinement.

9. A railway crossing, embodying four sets of movable rail sections, twobeing associated with each crossing track and movable into or out ofalinement with such track, members attached to the inner ends of thesections of each set and projecting outwardly therefrom, the inner endsof such members being slotted, and means cooperating with the slottedends of such members and operative to simultaneously move the sets sothat those of one pair of tracks will be in alinement while those of theother pair of tracks will be out of alinement.

10. A railway crossing, embodying a pair of relatively movable railsections for each track, bars attached to and projecting inwardly fromthe inner ends of the sections of each pair and having their inner endsslotted, an oscillatory member cooperating with the slotted ends of suchbars to reciprocate the same when the member is oscillated whereby tosimultaneously move opposing pairs of sections of one track out ofalinement and opposing pairs of sections of the other track intoalinement, and means for oscillating said member.

11. A railway crossing embodying a pair ofrail sections for each trackof the crossing, the sections of each pair being movable into or out ofalining position, slotted means attached to the inner ends of thesections of each pair, and mechanism cooperating with such slotted meansand operative to simultaneously move the pairs of sections so that thoseof one pair of tracks will be in alinement while those of the other pairof tracks will be out of alinement.

12. A railway crossing, embodying a pair of rail sections for each trackof the crossing, each of said pairs of sections being mounted foroscillatory and reciprocatory movements relative to the associatedtrack, bars attached to and extending inwardly from the inner ends ofthe sections of each pair and having their inner ends slotted, andoscillatory means cooperating with the slotted portions of such bars andoperative to reciprocate the bars to move the inner ends of opposingpairs of the rail sections inwardly out of alinement and simultaneouslymove the inner ends of the other pairs of sections outwardly intoalinement.

13. A railway crossing, embodying a pair of oscillatory rail sectionsfor each track, a bar attached to and projecting inwardly from the innerends of the sections of each pair and having their inner ends providedwith slots which parallel the associated sections when in alinement, anoscillatory member having parts at opposite ends thereof, each of whichparts works in the slots of two of such bars, and means for oscillatingsaid member to actuate the attached bars to simultaneously move opposingpairs of sections into alinement with their respective tracks and theremaining opposing pairs out of alinement with their respective tracks.

14. A railway crossing, embodying a pair of oscillatory rail sectionsfor each track of a crossing,bars attached to and projecting inwardlyfrom the inner ends of the sections of each pair and having their innerends slotted, an oscillatory member cooperating with the slotted ends ofsuch bars to simultaneously move the pairs of rail sections so thatthose of one pair of tracks will be in alinement while those of theother pair of tracks will be out of alinement, a pinion carried by saidoscillatory member, a lever having its ends provided with segmental setsof teeth one set of which meshes with said pinion, and a rack-barmeshing with the other set of teeth of such lever and movable to impartoscillatory movements to said lever and. member.

15. A railway crossing, embodying a pair of inwardly oscillating railsections for each track of a crossing, rotary supports in which the railsections are mounted to have reciprocatory movements, a bar attached toand projecting inwardly from the inner ends of the sections of each pairand having its inner end angled and longitudinally slotted inparallelism with the rail sections when in alinement, and meanscooperating with the slotted ends of such bars and operative tosimultaneously move the pairs of sections so that those of one pair oftracks 15 will be moved into alinement while those of the other pair oftracks will be moved out of alinement.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to thisspecification in the 20 presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN A. STRALEY.

Vitnesses OTTO D. BOGART, XVILBER A. OWEN.

